This invention relates generally to traffic delineators, and more particularly to a base for a plastic traffic delineation barrel.
The development of plastic traffic delineation devices, such as plastic barrels for directing and channeling traffic flows, has significantly increased automotive transportation safety. An automobile that strikes a wood or metal barrel may be seriously damaged, the collision may cause injury to the occupants of the automobile, and the barrel could be destroyed. If the automobile strikes a plastic barrel, the lightweight barrel causes little damage to the vehicle, is less likely to cause injury to the vehicle occupants, and the barrel is not usually significantly damaged and therefore may be used again.
Because of the light weight of plastic barrels, even a light to moderate wind can blow a barrel over or out of position. Sand bags have been placed on the tops of the barrels, but heavy sand bags at an elevated height create potential safety problems. Earlier barrels were mounted to a light plastic base and sand bags were put inside the barrel. This gave the necessary ballast, and kept the sand bags out of the way, but still resulted in the necessity of bringing the sand bags to the site.
Other prior barrels have been attached to heavy bases. Typically, the barrel had an overhang that engaged with an interior lip on the bottom of the barrel to hold the barrel to the base (see FIG. 7). One such base was invented by, and is presently being sold by, the assignee of this invention. Although this type of heavy base has important uses, there are times when a lighter base is useful. Also, barrels may not be stacked when attached to such a base, and thus the base must be removed for efficient storage.
Borrowing an idea from traffic delineation cones, a drop-over base was developed that interacted with the outer wall of the barrel to grip the barrel and provide the needed ballast. One type of prior drop-over base is depicted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,280. The drop-over base, having a large opening in the middle, was lighter than the full bottom bases.
Previous drop over bases have several drawbacks. For instance, previous bases have been designed to fit loosely down unto the barrel. As a result, even a glancing blow to the barrel might release the barrel from the base. Furthermore, the loose fit configuration results in a greater portion of the weight of the base being on in inner diameter rather than the perimeter of the base. This reduces the relative weight available for resisting the toppling of the barrel due to wind or minor blows.
These drawbacks have resulted in a need for a better and more adaptable base that is compatible with current barrels but does not have the disadvantages of existing bases. However, no barrel base has yet been developed that accomplishes these goals.